Those who mourned the passing of the Smart Roadster may be interested by the reports that Renault is preparing to launch a tiny convertible of its own. The diminutive spider is tipped to be based on the existing Renault Twingo, and feature a manual targa-style deployable roof that can be stowed in the trunk.

The Smart Roadster was never a market success, largely because it was too expensive to build and therefore too expensive to buy. But if the reports are to be believed, Renault is learning from Smart's mistakes and is targeting the affordable Nissan Micra C+C, Opel/Vauxhall Tigra and Peugeot 207 CC for the Twingo convertible's pricing. Sources indicate that the little roadster could bow in Frankfurt in 2010 – only that year's show will actually be held in Renault's home-base of Paris.

[Source: AutoInternationaal via ABG]

Click above for hi-res gallery of the Twingo Renault Sport

After its initial unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show this past March, Renault has finally released full details – including pricing, equipment, and a whole $h!tload of new photos – of the new Twingo Renault Sport. Following the great line of eminently chuckable sport hatches from the French automaker – including the current Clio and Megane Renault Sport models – the Twingo Renault Sport upgrades the existing range-topping Twingo GT with a host of performance-oriented equipment inside, outside and underneath. Power comes from a 133-hp 1.6-liter 16-valve four-banger, and the Twingo RS comes right out of the gate with a choice of two chassis set-ups: Sport and Cup. The latter tightens up the suspension, cuts out 17 kg of weight and offers 17-inch dark anthracite wheels.

You'll recall that while its on-track rivals like Ferrari and McLaren turn their F1 know-how into six-figure supercars, Renault transfers its into sport hatches like this one. Renault Sport's latest offering will sell for just €15,601 in its home market, but includes a special bonus usually reserved for cars ten times its price. For a nominal fee of €1, Renault Sport Technologies is throwing in tutelage in its advanced driving course to show each new owner how to get the most out of their finely-tuned little chassis.

Follow the jump to get the full skinny on the little hatchback that could, and check out the hundred new images joining our live shots in the gallery below.

[Source: Renault]

You know that stunt in the movies where a car drives through some impossibly narrow alley? Or how about the one where a car is drifted into a parallel parking spot at high speed? Those are tough stunts for sure, but how about spinning a car lengthwise through two barriers that are just 18 centimeters longer than the car you're driving? That's what the obviously-very-good stunt driver Terry Grant did this past weekend at the Live Action Arena of the Autosport International Show in the UK.

Grant was performing various stunts all weekend long, but this one in particular landed him his 16th Guiness World Record. The way it was done had Grant reversing the car and swinging the front end around while passing through two barriers. It was attempted numerous times and each time the barriers were moved closer, which meant he continually kept breaking his own record. The final record-setting attempt had the barriers set just 378 centimeters apart. The diagonal length of the Twingo is only 370 centimeters, which meant he had 4 centimers on either end of the car to get it through unscathed. It's an impressive stunt, to say the least, and we'll probably see recreated in a Bourne movie one day. Thanks for the tip, Kevin!

[Source: carandsuv.co.nz]

click above image for high-res version

We're filing this under "Wish I'd thought of that."

Renault, in its redesigned Twingo (appropriately named New Twingo), is offering an option it calls "Grass-mat" dashboard trim. Essentially, it's a toothbrush turned bristles-up that holds all those gadgets we love so dear in our cars. The rubber fingers sit in a divot in front of the steering wheel, looking much like an abnormally blue sea anemone ready to coddle your Nemo-like iPod in motionless safety. No more digging under the seat for the phone that went flying in turn three, no unsightly Velcro on dash and phone, no more mining the seats for change at the toll booth. Genius.

Click on the above photo (or here) for an up-close, high-res look at the Renault's rubber grass, and click here to see what a New Twingo looks like.

Thanks for the tip, James!

[Source: T3]

As we guessed when we saw it in Paris a few months ago, the concept Twingo that Renault showed was a bit flashier than what we expect the production version to be. What we didn't guess was how little changed it might end up being. Thanks to the artist rendering from What Car? above left, we can see that the production Twingo will likely look much like the concept at right. The side skirts and wheel arches have been dropped, and the front fascia toned down a bit. It definitely loses a bit of the sportiness of the show car, but still manages to look refined and fun.

We're not sure if the cool features like the frameless door glass or panoramic roof will make the jump to the street though, and the rest of the interior features are likely to differ from the concept, as well. In the concept, four bucket seats surrounded a center console that housed docks for electronic gadgets and an auxiliary USB port. The instrument pod was center-mounted, too. The concept also showed a TV and internet-enabled car PC. One thing we're fairly confident about though is that the production Twingo will be powered by a 100-hp, 1.2-liter turbo four that should make this supermini quite zippy.

[Source: What Car?]